The invention relates to an air vent of a ventilation and heating module for motor vehicles.
DE 201 00 740 U1 discloses a generic air vent of this type for a vehicle air conditioning system with several air guide vanes arranged in a frame and pivotable about an axis. Additionally, a first coupling element pivotally coupled to the air guide vanes is provided, wherein the first coupling element is adjustable relative to the axes of the air guide vanes between a neutral position in which the air guide vanes are parallel and a comfort position wherein for forming a diffuse position, the air guide vanes are pivoted in opposite directions, i.e. fanned, thus producing a diverging air flow. A spot position of the air guide vanes can be adjusted with a second coupling element, which is arranged in air outlet area and displaceable perpendicular to the displacement direction of the first coupling element and coupled with the air guide vanes. Such spot position can be set with a control element arranged on the neutral vane. The neutral vane represents the central air guide vane of an odd number of air routing vanes.
For adjusting the air guide vanes into the diffuse position, a control element constructed as a two-armed lever is provided with this conventional air vent, which contacts with one end the first coupling element and with the other end a button which has a locking mechanism and is accessible from the outside of the air vent. By pressing the button, the first coupling element is displaced in a translational movement toward the second coupling element into the diffuse position. The first coupling element is held in this position by the locking mechanism, until the control element is released by a renewed operation of the button, whereby the first coupling element is pulled into the neutral position of the air guide vanes by a return spring.
In this conventional approach, the mechanism for generating the diffuse position as well as for setting a spot position of the air guide vanes initiated from the neutral position is arranged in the region of the air outlet opening of the air vent so that this mechanism is visible to a vehicle occupant, thereby adversely affecting the visual impression. This disadvantage can not be entirely prevented even when, as proposed in the DE 201 00 740 U1, the first coupling element is coupled to the outer vanes via coupling rods. A further disadvantage with regard to the use of such coupling rods is that the mechanism becomes more complex and thus also more susceptible to malfunctions.
Furthermore, DE 100 46 628 A1 discloses an automatic heating and/or climate control for vehicles which has automatic nozzles for the air distribution and air volume control. These nozzles are arranged in the instrument panel, on the door or on the floor as central nozzles or as side nozzles, wherein horizontal and vertical motor-driven air guide vanes are arranged on the nozzle for adjusting the direction of the air flow and motor-driven air flow dampers are also provided for adjusting the quantity of air. The air guide vanes and the air quantity dampers are adjusted via an automatic program stored in a control unit, which also generates the control signals for the actuators for a correct adjustment of the air guide vanes. The driver can intervene in the automatic adjustment of the so-called automatic nozzles by using a nozzle control panel where he can select predetermined factory-set standard programs for setting the vanes and air volume as desired. He can also manually intervene on adjustment elements arranged on the vanes and adjust the vanes in the horizontal and vertical direction and hence adjust the air flow direction in the vehicle interior. These new settings can also be stored as user-defined settings.
However, DE 100 46 628 A1 does not provide any suggestions relating to the mechanics for adjusting the air guide vanes and the air quantity dampers.
It is an object of the invention to improve an air vent of the aforedescribed type so as to reduce space requirements, in particular in the outlet area of the air flow, and attain a high-quality visual impression without the need for a complex mechanism.